Automatic piano.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

R. A. RODESCH.

AUTOMATIC PIANO.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY so, 190e.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MMM

#Zi/POTW' No. 855,672. PATBNTED JUNE 4, 1907.

R. A. RODBSCH.

AUTUMATIC PIANO. APPLIoA'rIoN HLBD JULYso, 190e.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Joly. 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. RODESCII, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RODESCII PIANO ANDPLAYER CO., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

lAUTOIVIA'li'lG PIANO.

Patented J' une 4, 1907.

Original application tiled September. 11, 1905, Serial No. 277,814.Divided and this application led July 30,1906. Serial No. 328,402.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. Ronnscii, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Dixon, in the county of Lee and State ot'Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inAutomatic Pianos, of which the following is a speciiication.

rlhis is a divisional application of my applieation filed September 11,1905, Serial Number 277,b14.y

This invention relates to that class of automatic piano players in whicha pneumatically actuated playing mechanism is controlled by a travelingperforated music sheet or like controlling means; and vthe presentimprovement relates particularly to improved means `for adjusting therolls and music sheet with relation to the tracker board and has for itsobject to provide a simple and eiiicient structural formation andcombination of parts whereby the` take-up and rewind rolls with themusic sheet are adjusted or transposed laterallyT with relation to thetracker board in an accurate and convenient manner, all as willhereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings t-Figure 1 is a transverse sectionalelevation oi' an upright piano, having the present improvement applied.Fig. 2 is an enlarged frag- 'mentary front elevation, illustrating thearrangement oi the tracker board, music sheet carrying mechanism, etc.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in both views. l

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the carrying frame of thetracker board, take-up and rewind rolls and their usual accessories. Inthe construction shown, such frame is arranged in the upper Jortion ofthe piano-casing to the rear of t ie upper front board ot such casing,and is madeJI vertically adiustable so that when the hinged cover oi thepiano casing is thrown back, said carrying frame can be raised above thetop of the piano into a convenient position to display 'to view themusic or controlling sheet as it passes over the tracker board. Thedescribed arran ement and vertical adjustment of the sai carrying -frameis claimed in my conianion application, of even date herewith SerialNumber 328,401.

2 .is the tracker board of any usual construction carried by the frame`1; such tracker board willhave the usual series of air inlet passagesconnected by a series of yipes or ducts 3, with a corresponding series opassages in the end trunks 4 the series of passages in said end trunkshave connection in turn by a series of pipes c; ducts 5, with the usualcorresponding series of passages in the exhaust chest of the pneumaticplaying mechanism which contains the primary pneumatics, as fully setforth in my afore-v said companion application, Serial Number sesam.

6 is the take-up roll, and 7 the rewind roll, for the usual perforatedmusic or controlling sheet. Such rolls ar arran 'ed at opposite sides ofthe tracker board and are adapted to move and guide the perforated musicsheet over the openings or passages in said tracker board, as usual inthe present type of selfplaying pianos, and to this end a suitablespring or other equivalent motor, not shown, will be operativelyconnected to a pulley 8 carried by said frame i, and having operativeconnection in turn with said rolls.

In the present improvement the holding centers 9` at the inner ends ofthe rolls G and are journaled in and extend through an end of the frame1 and are adapted to yield under the iniiuence ot' a spring 1() securedto said end to permit of a limited longitudinall adliustment ot saidrolls in eil'ectmg an adliustment of the perforated music or controllingsheet with relation to the tracker board.

11 is a yoke member having an adjustment in the opposite ends of theirame 1 longitudinally with the rolls, and provided with journal sleeves1ia adapted to afford bearings for the operating shafts 12 and 13 ofsaid rolls; such yoke is adapted to have endwise bearing against theadjacent ends of the rolls as to resist the end thrust of the same dueto the spring lO before described.

14 is an adjusting screw secured to the adjacent end of the frame andprojecting through the yoke, and i4 isv a nut' working upon the screwand bearing against the yoke member by which adjustment is iniparted tothc yoke member 11 longitudinally with the rolls.

15 is a board or rail carrying the end trunks Li, before described, andin turn attaclied to the side cheeks 16 secured in a per- IOO 17'arescrews by `which the rail and end 'trunks 4 are .secured to the sidecheeks 16, in

a readily detachable manner.

18 are depending rack bars at the respective ends of the frame 1, movingin suitable guides in the board or rail 15 aforesaid, so as to be guidedvertically. n

19 is a spring vroll journaled on the board or rail 15, and providedwith pinions 20, engaging the aforesaid rack bars 18, the ar rangementbeing such that the spring tension ofthe roll 19 will eounterbalance theWeight of the frame 1, and the parts mounted thereon, and so that saidframe will remain at any vertical adjustment at which it may be placedby the operator.

Having thus fully described my said invention, What I claiin as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an automatic piano, the combination of a carrying frame, a fixedtracker board seof 'July 1906.

cured to the carrying frame, take up and rewind rolls arranged in alongitudinally adjustable relation to the tracker board, holding andsliding centers for the rolls mounted. in one end ol the carrying frame,a sliring secured to the said end and pressing against the holdingcenters so as to move said rolls in one direction, a slidable yokemember 'for the rolls having journaled sleeves whereby it is mounted inthe other end of the carrying frame, a screw seeured to the carryingframe and extending through the yoke member and a nut adjustable uponthe screw and bearing against the yoke member for moving said rolls inan opposite direction.V

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day ROBERT-A. RODESCH. Witnesses:

ROBERT BURNS,

HENRY MOE.

